


Adventures in Babysitting

by ObtuseOctopus



Series: Living in Hue [10]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Babysitting, F/F, Gem Egg Hell, Gemlings, Multi, Some Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-28
Updated: 2020-01-28
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:54:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22451461
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ObtuseOctopus/pseuds/ObtuseOctopus
Summary: • COMPLETE. •Lapis entrusts the care of her children with Marina and Freckles- otherwise known as Mean Lapis and Nice Lapis. This can go horribly wrong...
Relationships: Bismuth/Lapis Lazuli (Steven Universe), Bismuth/Lapis Lazuli/Peridot (Steven Universe), Lapis Lazuli/Peridot (Steven Universe)
Series: Living in Hue [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1615498
Comments: 7
Kudos: 45





	Adventures in Babysitting

“What is that?” The two lazuli eyed the basket rather curiously, keeping their fair share of distance away from it but also keeping their gaze fixed on the object as Lapis held it from the bottom with both hands. 

Lapis kept the basket in her arms, refusing to let it go or put it down. She kept it close to her body. “I need to ask you guys a favor,” she began. “I know today you both have the day off, and I thought that maybe… you’d like to babysit for me.”

“Babysit?!” Freckles squeaked.

“... Babysit?” Marina said, scrunching up her face.

“Yeah. Babysit.” Lapis adjusted her hold on the basket so that she was supporting it with one arm, her other arm shifting so that she could peel back the blanket that was covering what was inside the basket. The lazuli duo peered inside, and both Freckles and Marina cooed in awe at what was revealed to them.

“Are those actually…-?” Marina started.

“Oh my gosh, I never thought I’d see this in person! Or ever!” Freckles excitedly squealed. “I thought the Diamonds-!”

“It’s not common, I know,” Lapis put the blanket back over the basket. “But, I’m from an earlier era.”

“Who's the sire?” Marina asked. “I know it takes two to tango,” she sneered.

“ _ Sires, _ ” Lapis corrected. “There’s two. Bismuth and Peridot.”

“No way! So that’s why one of them had that cute little colorful hair!” Freckles beamed. “Can I touch her? Can I?!”

“Don’t, you’d break it,” Marina huffed, holding Freckles back. “Then she would shatter us.”

“I… would prefer you didn’t,” Lapis said. “They’re still young. They only opened their eyes two days ago. I would’ve asked someone else, but… everyone is busy. It’s just for today.”

“I don’t know anything about babies,” Marina pointed out.

“I don’t either! But stars, they’re so cute!” Freckles gasped.

“Look, it’s easy. They don’t do much yet. They’re easy to take care of. I’ll be back for them later today after my meep morp classes. They’re just… sensitive,” Lapis explained. “They need to eat when they’re fussy- I have food already prepared for them at my place. Don’t touch them too much either, or at all. They get upset when they smell something that isn’t their mother.” She held the basket out, carefully and with uncertainty.

“Ooh, stars, I can’t wait!” Freckles smiled, doing a little happy dance. “Hello, babies!! I’m your auntie! I’m auntie Freckles, I’m auntie lazuli!” She reached for the basket.

“Eugh, you’re scaring them,” Marina pushed Freckles away, taking the basket much smoother and calmer than Freckles would. “Don’t worry. We got this. Believe me, we have this in the bag.”

“Thanks. Like I said, I’ll be back-“

“Yeah, we got this,” Marina repeated. “Nothing to worry about!” She cast an assuring smirk. 

“I wanna see them! I wanna see the babies!” Freckles whined.

Lapis sighed. “If any of them are hurt when I come back-“

“Eep!” Freckles hid behind Marina, who also looked worried.

Marina gulped. “We won’t hurt them, we promise. We do.”

“Good.” Lapis summoned her wings, taking one last look at the basket. “The purple one is Pea. The other one is Emily, if you need their names.”

“Pea?” Marina raised a brow.

“Like urine? Why would you name a baby after pee?” Freckles added.

“That’s kinda gross,” Marina agreed. “That’s not a baby name. That’s potty talk.”

“No- pea like peacock. She’s a peacock ore,” Lapis groaned in irritation. 

“Ooooh,” Freckles hummed.

“Emily sounds neat,” Marina said. “I guess…”

“Make sure to feed them when fussy, don’t touch them much, and keep them safe. Watch them. Got it?” Lapis questioned.

“Got it,” Freckles and Marina said in perfect sync.

Lapis hesitated a second before she took off into the sky, leaving the duo with the basket. Marina took it to the nearest place with a roof, which was a temporary tent stake for water breaks during physical education classes at Little Homeworld. 

“Can I see them noooow?!” Freckles begged, unable to stay still as she followed.

Marina set the basket down on the table, putting all the paper cups down underneath it to make room for the basket. “Lapis said we have to be careful, you know what happens if we mess this up.”

“I know,” Freckles frowned. “I’m just excited. I’ve never seen gemlings before!”

“Yeah, neither have I. This is so weird. I mean…? I didn’t even know she had any?” Marina muttered. “Or could have any anyway. Do you think that she and the two she mentioned…?” She made a circle with one hand, putting a finger into it repeatedly with her other hand to make a lewd and very inappropriate gesture.

Freckles clapped her hands together. “I don’t know what that means!” She giggled. 

“Oh. Well, nevermind then,” Marina concluded. “Let’s see if they need anything right now.” She put her hands down, reaching out to lift the blanket from the basket. Inside, there lay two tiny shapes curled up in a ball beside each other, depending on each other for body heat and warmth. The gemlings squirmed slightly when the blanket had been lifted, adjusting to the layer above them now gone and letting in cool air. 

“Awww! They’re so cute!” Freckles cooed. “I love Pea. Even if her name sounds funny, she has that really colorful hair.”

“I think Emily is a peridot,” Marina stated. “Look at her gem. And the way she curls up her face. It’s… kinda gross. What kind of name is Emily anyway? That’s not a gem.”

“She looks okay,” Freckles said. “I just don’t like her hair. It’s long, she could trip on it. And long hair takes a lot more to take care of.”

“What are they wearing?”

“I think those are tiny dresses. Um… nightgowns!”

“Huh.”

“Oh, shhh!! One of them is opening their eyes!”

“That’s Pea.”

“Gross!”

The purple gemling, Pea, rubbed her eyes. She scooted in closer to her sibling, letting out a yawn. She had dark purple skin, tinged here and there with rainbow freckles or spots, and hair that was hues of purples, aquas, and blues. When she opened her eyes to see what caused the disruption to her environment, she slightly casted a scowl.

“I like her attitude,” Marina said with amusement.

“She has spots just like me!!” Freckles fangirled. “Aww, who's the cutest baby?!” She leaned in, causing Pea to scowl even more.

“I don’t think she likes that,” Marina pointed out.

“Oh nebula, I’m just saying hi!” Freckles whined.

“Yeah, but she looks angry at you.”

“Maybe she’s just hungry!”

“Hm, you could be right. Lapis did say they get fussy if they’re hungry.”

“Let’s feed her!” Freckles suggested. “We could give her-!”

“Nuh uh. Lapis said she already had food for them. Maybe it’s at her home,” Marina said with a shrug. “Let’s go check. Come on, babies.” She put the blanket back over the gemlings, then picked up the basket.

“What do you think they eat? Gosh, eating sounds so weird. Why would anybody want to put something up their mouth and chew it?” Freckles wondered out loud.

“Can you be quiet for two seconds?” Marina huffed. She summoned her wings, easily taking to the skies with Freckles in tow. Once they had reached Lapis’ little home; a simple and small place that had no doors, honestly anybody could walk in to the bed and space around it full of art supplies- Marina began searching around. She kept the basket close, her water wings tucked behind her before they disappeared once no longer needed.

“I think I found it!” Freckles proudly announced, digging around in the pile of paintbrushes. 

“I don’t think they can eat that,” Marina said when she turned to look.

“I dunno… maybe someone would enjoy eating watercolor- watercolor? What the-? You can paint with water?!” Freckles gasped. “Oooh, I gotta have this-!”

“No! Lapis would know something’s gone, and she would come for us. Put it back, Frecks. Here- I think I found the food she was talking about anyway,” Marina beckoned. She found a small container somewhat near the back of the abode, in a compartment that was much akin to a fridge. “I don’t want to be here much longer. Place gives me the creeps, especially if Lapis lives here. What if she finds something that we messed up?” She grabbed the item.

“It’s not like we messed up anything or took anything.” Freckles awkwardly looked at the watercolor palette in her hand.“Oh. Aw, I guess I’ll put it back though… even if it’s super cool.”

“You gotta see what’s in this. Their food looks gross,” Marina made a face, stepping out of the makeshift home. Freckles of course followed after she put the paint back, and she too made a face. 

“They have to eat that?!”

“Eugh, it smells  _ horrible.”  _ Marina peeled back the lid of the container. She cringed at the sight of the mashed tuna inside, holding back a gag. She set the basket down and then sat down near it, Freckles leaning over her to see before she also was disgusted.

“I’m not feeding them- I’m not touching that!” Freckles hissed.

“Well I ain’t doing it either,” Marina puffed. She tilted her head back, trying to get away from the smell. 

“Someone has to!”

“I know!”

“Look, they’re moving again!” Freckles pointed to the basket. Marina followed her gesture, and she hummed upon realizing that the two gemlings in the basket had caught a whiff of the food, now stirring around in the blanket.

“I’m still not feeding them,” Marina gagged. “Here, you do it.”

“Why do I have to?!”

“Because if you don’t and if Lapis finds out, she’s going to shatter us.”

“Okay, fair point!” Freckles snatched the tuna can, once more looking ready to throw up. “This is so gross… oh stars.”

“Just do it already.”

“Okay, okay!” Freckles took a brave breath before she held the container close to the basket. “Eat up babies, cute little babies, ohhhh gosh this is so grooooss!” She squealed, moving the blanket so that the gemlings could get to the can better. As if she had been spooked, she dropped the tuna can into the basket before backing away. 

“What was that?!” Marina judged.

“I fed them!” Freckles nervously said.

“You call that feeding?! That’s dropping a can into the basket-!”

“Nonono- look!” Freckles pointed.

When Marina looked over, the two gemlings were now wide awake, wiggling about and closing in on the tuna can. “Hmm… alright. I take it back.. I think you did good.” She put the blanket back over the two offspring, picking the basket back up. 

“What now?”

“I guess just watch them…” Marina thought, unable to come up with any other ideas. “We could bring them to our place. They have food, they have their basket… eh. Yeah. Let’s just go to our place. We can still watch them there.”

“Okay! I wish I could hold one.”

“Lapis would kill us.”

“I know! That’s why I said I  _ wish _ !”

Again the duo took to the skies, chattering like birds amongst themselves about the situation of babysitting. After bickering and some arguing, they eventually reached their place that they called home in Little Homeworld, a standard small home made of stone. 

“You know, I think I’m getting the hang of this,” Marina said, stepping inside. 

“Me too! I’m getting the hang of this too!”

“I feel like we’re missing something though…”

“What?”

“Lapis said to watch them right?”

“Uh yeah.”

“Well we haven’t seen them do anything yet.”

“Oh no! Hurry- Marina, we need to watch them!”

The two lazuli set the basket down on their couch, then intensely stared at the basket, the blanket still lightly wiggling from the motion of the gemlings underneath.

“I think I’m a good watcher,” Freckles beamed.

“Pft. I’m better,” Marina doubted.

“Why do we need to watch them again? What do they do that we need to watch?”

“Beats me. Maybe they’re attention seekers.”

“Ooh, okay that makes sense. My eyes are hurting.”

“Mine too. But if we look away, then we wouldn’t be doing what Lapis told us to do.”

“No, she said babysit,” Freckles corrected.

“Holy nebula, we have to  _ sit  _ on them?” Marina grimaced. “She said not to hurt them, but says we need to sit on them?! What’s with her?!”

“Maybe we can sit on them later, after we watch them,” Freckles said.

“Yeah, maybe we can sit on them later.” Marina agreed.

“That sounds like a good idea!” Freckles complimented, not even realizing it was her idea initially. “But I haven’t seen them do anything yet…”

“Keep watching. They’ll do something and we have to watch it,” Marina assured.

Hours passed, and as dusk neared, Lapis returned from her duties. She had nearly gone on a ruckus tearing up Little Homeworld looking for the lazuli that she had entrusted her young with, unable to find them anywhere. That was, of course, until she finally found their residence not that far away, and she welcomed herself in as she opened the door to the sight of the duo intensely staring at the basket like cats fascinated with fish in a fishbowl. There was no visible wounds or injuries on her children who were snoring away, but by stars she should’ve guessed that they were...

… Idiots.

But it could’ve always gone worse.


End file.
